CAN isarticulating voice of opposition – NSCIA

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has condemned the recent public protest against what the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) described as ‘killing of Christians in the country’, accusing it of articulating the voice of the opposition from which it immensely benefitted in the past.

In a release signed by the General-Secretary of the Ondo State Council of NSCIA, Surajudeen Abdulazeez Folayemi, the Muslim group berated CAN in the state as well as its national leadership for the “sp called protest”.

The Renaissance recalled that the protest was carried out by the Catholic priests in Akure on Friday, April 27, and in some parts of the country.

“To say the least, these protest by the acclaimed custodian of Christianity is uncalled for, it is religious-politics taken too far.

“As far as we are concerned, the protest is unfortunate, bias and callous. It is segregative in nature, contradicts divine teachings of obedience to constituted authority and constructive counselling to the people in power.

“What does the leadership of the Christian aimed at achieving with these protest?

“ Are they saying they are the most affected by the recent killings in the country or what? Do they want to use the killing to score cheap political goals against the presidency of a man they openly campaigned against?

“Are the Christian leadership claiming to be more passionate than any other religious groups on recent issues as it affects our nation or they are planning for 2019 general election?

“Are the Christian leadership sympathising with the victims of the recent killings in this country or they are articulating the voice of the opposition which they immensely benefitted from, during their 16 years unfortunate and misrule.

“We are saddened that the CAN leadership are protesting on the false claim that Christians are being killed under the regime of Muhammadu Buhari!

“The question begging for a sane response is where are these Christian leaders when thousands of innocent Muslims were and are still being slaughtered during the reign of one of their illustrious members?

“Where were the Christian leaders when over 3000 innocent souls were killed by the Nigerian soldiers in Bama during the time when Aso Villa could best be described as the headquarters of the CAN?

“Where were these Christian leaders when GEJ allegedly directed the then NSA to release funds meant to fight an insurgency for the prosecution of 2015 general election?

“Where were these Christian custodian when Nigerian ran out of aircraft and the country has to commission the private jet of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor the then CAN President for the acquisition of arms and ammunition which was unknown to the nations political structures but was later intercepted and impounded in South Africa.

“Do these Christians leaders think Nigerians would have forgotten within a short time that they kept mute when Muslims were being slaughtered in thousands in an insurgency which with all evidence at our disposal is orchestrated by the Christian politicians in other to decimate the population of the Muslims in this country,” NSCIA said.

It said that without any fear of intimidation, the protest was devilish and not in the interest of the progressive-minded Christians in this country and neither is it in the interest of the nation at large!

According to the NSCIA, the protest was orchestrated by the opposition, which the CAN leadership shamelessly campaigned for during the 2015 general election!

“It is not a protest aimed at defending the victims of the recent killings in the country, but rather aimed at returning the country to the era of recklessness and corruption which have immensely benefitted the Christian leadership materially.

“We are bold to say that the protest is not divinely orchestrated but born out of financial crunch which this administration has brought to the leadership of the Christian.

“The usual money spree and unflinching influence which the church leaders have enjoyed is no more as such the leaders have to exploit the gullible sheep to go to the streets and protest against a government which has some of the finest Christian as cardinal members.”

The NSCIA reiterated that the recent killings in the country have claimed the lives of more Muslim faithful’ than any other religious adherents as Muslims are being killed in hundreds in majorly Muslim dominated areas.

“Over 700 Muslims were killed in Ile-Ife Hausa massacre in Osun State, over 800 Muslims were slaughtered in the Mambila Plateau in Taraba State.

“Muslims are being killed on daily bases in Kaduna, Zamfara, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Nasarawa and Plateau states to mention but a few and today, the Muslims as a community are so vulnerable to the level that the killing of a Muslims or destruction of a Muslim community does not worth the front page of any National daily.

“Muslims are being killed all over the nation and what is amazing is these killings are either orchestrated by the politics or religion,” Folayemi said.

NSCIA also called on the Ondo State Government to call an Ondo based Christian cleric, Rev. John Oladapo to order, saying that his recent religious-political activism was capable of causing religious violence and acrimony in the peaceful state.

“We, as a responsible council, wish to call on every person that is passionate about the posterity of this nation to advise the present government constructively on how to combat the senseless killing being witnessed all over the country,” it said.